Finger moistener



July 7, l1925. 1,545,343

A. S. MACK FINGER MOISTENER Filed Sept. 4, 1924 Patented July 7, 1925.

ALEXANDER S. MACK,

or cHicAGo, ILLINOIS.

FINGER MorsTENER.

Application led September 4, 1924. Serial No. 735,972.`

To all 'whom imag/concern:

Be i knownthat ALEXANDER S. MACK, aV

citizen of the United States of America,v residing at Chicago, 'inv the county of Cook and State of Illinois, has invented new and useful Improvements in Finger Moisteners, of which the following a specification. The present inventionhas for its purpose to provide an improved finger moistener for use in handling tickets, papers, circulars, bills and like articles, that is, in arranging, counting and examining or assorting them, and'to accomplish the result in a sanitary and `timesaving manner.

I-Ieretofore, Sponges moistened with water have been usedy and'these must be washed or cleaned every day or they become sour or moldy. lFurthermore, with'this method it is necessary to moisten thefingers many times during the handling of various papers or .during a counting process for the reason that thewater evaporates quickly. The present invention contemplates the use of glycerin as it has been discovered that such fluid effects a roughness of the fingers for from fifteen to thirty minutes constant ise which will greatly facilitate the handling of papers, bills and correspondence, thereby obviating the constant remoistening of the lingers. The contents of glycerin is about eleven thousand times lighter than water, is colorless and odorless, and when used with a sponge does not have to be cleaned, unless the surroundings are full of dust that would naturally accumulate on anything that is moist. However, due to the fact that the invention also aims to provide a cover for the sponge which is moistened with glycerin, even the accumulation of dust is avoided.

Another purpose is to provide a device by which the lingers may be moistened, the device comprising a main container for the glycerin or similar liquid, together with a stopper which carries a sponge with a spearliketerminal to be supported in the container, in combination with a cover` constructed of heavy tinfoil for the purpose of fitting over the spear-shaped head of the sponge when the moistener is not in use, thereby avoiding the collection of dust.

A further purpose is to provide a stopper which is tapered from the center in opposite directions, so that when the stopper is in a position to close the container orrin a position whereby the spear-shaped head of the sponge may be moistened, the stopper neatly fits the tapered neck ofthe container 1n such wise as to prevent the escape of the glycerin or similar liquid,` Tomoisten the sponge,'the stopper may be inverted and inserted in the containerto moistenthe spearshaped head of the sponge and possibly the container agitated or shaken up and down, or when the stopper is in its-upright posit1on,'the container may be shakenv or 'vibratedv up and down, in which `case the glycerin will saturate the bottomlof the sponge land through capillary attraction reach the spear-shaped head thereof..

. Itis to be understood that the particulars herein given'are 1n no way limitative and that, while still `keeping fwithin the scope of the invention, any desired modifications of detail and desired proportions may be made in the device according to the circumstances. l

The invention comprisesfurther features andY combinations of parts to lbe hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a view in perspective of the improved finger moistener constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a `vertical sectional view through thesame.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view with the. cover removed and the stopper inverted the sponge may bek crowded into the stop-perv or plug so as to be retained securely in position. The stopper or plug may be constructed of any suitable material, preferably glass or the like. The sponge 4 may be made any contour at its terminal portion, preferably spear-shaped.

The stopper or plugis tapered in opposite directions, the greater tapered portion 5 normally engaging the neck 2 of the container or bottle while t-he reduced or smaller taper 6 is designed to engage the neck of the container or bottle when the stopper or plug is inverted and inserted into the neck for the purpose of saturating the` The spear-shaped head 7 of the sponge. tapered portions of the plug or stopper correspond to and are adapted to fitv the taper of the neck of the bottle or container. A suitable cap 8 constructed of relatively heavy tin foil is adapted to fit over the spear-'shaped head-of they sponge when'the moistener is not inuse.L This cap is also of a taper corresponding to thetaper of the plugr or stopper, so that when it is in position, as in Figures l and 2, the. cap -will properly lit the smaller taper of the plug or stopper and beretained in position.

- In using the lnoistener, the capis first removed and if the container has a sutiicient quantity of' glycerin, it will, throughfcapillary attraction, feed through the sponge to the spear-shaped headl thereof. However, if the level of glycerin is below the lower endV of the plug or stopper and not in contact with the sponge which may have be`` come dry, it is possible to invert the container, in which case the glycerin will feed throughthe sponge to the head. f It is. vposf sible to shake the container sufficiently'to cause the glycerin to reach the sponge.

Also, thev plug or stopper may be removed and invertedand then replaced in engagenient with the neck of the container or bottle and when in this' position, the bottle or `container may be shaken which will cause the The invention having been set forth, what is claimed is:

, A1. In a finger'rnoistener, a container for the reception of a finger moistening fluid provided with a tapered neck,and a stopper carrying a finger moistening ksponge and tapered toward both ends., insertible in .an upright or inverted position into the rneck of the container for` inoistening the sponge, saidsponge. having a projecting finger moistening head. w

2. In a finger moistener, a container for the lreception of a finger rnoistening. fluid provided vwith a tapered neck, a stopper carrying a. finger moistening sponge and tapered toward both. ends, insertiblev in an upright or inverted positiony into .the neck of the container for moistening the sponge,

said sponge having a vprojecting finger moistening head,and a cap to engage and fit over eitherendl of the stop-per when in an uprightor inverted position. l

, In testimony whereof he afiiXes his signa,- ture. f

`1 ALEXAN'DERS. MACK,

glycerin to saturate the spear-shapedk head. l 

